How This Nonprofit Built a Thriving Monthly Donor Community Using a Giving Circle

Nonprofit Learning Lab
Jan 21
4 min read

This is a guest blog by Grapevine.

How a pioneering textile-reuse nonprofit used Grapevine to deepen supporter connection, stabilize recurring revenue, and grow a vibrant donor community.

Meet FABSCRAP

Founded in 2016, FABSCRAP addresses a major blind spot in the fashion industry: pre-consumer textile waste. Long before garments are worn, piles of fabric, leather, and yarn scraps accumulate in cutting rooms and design studios across New York City.

FABSCRAP partners with brands to divert this waste from landfills—making it accessible to students, artists, and makers who transform it into new creations.

But FABSCRAP is far more than a recycling solution. It’s a movement. A growing community of brands, creatives, innovators, and changemakers working together to reshape the future of fashion, reduce waste, and inspire more sustainable practices across the industry.

The Challenge

As FABSCRAP grew, so did its financial needs, as well as the desire to build more sustainable donor relationships.

The team knew their supporters wanted more than a donation receipt or a quarterly email. They wanted:

A meaningful sense of connection
A space to hear real stories from behind the scenes
Clear insight into both successes and challenges
An opportunity to share feedback and feel part of the mission

FABSCRAP also wanted a better understanding of who their donors were and what they cared about. They needed a more intentional, community-focused approach than a standard monthly donation form or occasional social media posts.

The Solution: FAB Friends Giving Circle

In early 2024, FABSCRAP launched the FAB Friends Giving Circle on Grapevine, a low-lift, community-centered home for their monthly donor program.

Their existing base of 22 monthly donors was ready for deeper engagement, and Grapevine provided the structure they needed: a place where donors could receive exclusive updates, vote in polls, give feedback, and see their impact more clearly.

Founders Jessica Schreiber and Camille Tagle committed to sharing weekly, behind-the-scenes posts exclusively for FAB Friends. Those authentic, leadership-led updates quickly became the heartbeat of the community.

“Grapevine provides a platform where we can use our voice to tell our story, enabling us to activate individual supporters in a more personable, authentic way, and making it easier to inspire action and build community.”

– Camille Tagle, Co-Founder of FABSCRAP

The Results: Growth, Retention & Stronger Donor Relationships

Since launching the Giving Circle in April 2024, FABSCRAP has seen strong and steady growth in both donations and donor engagement, and even met their goal of recruiting 60 new monthly donors.

Monthly Donor Growth

Metric	Before (Apr 2023)	After 12 Months (Apr 2024–Apr 2025)
Monthly Donors	23	Nearly 60
Avg Monthly Donations	~$500	Approaching $1,000
Donor Retention	—	95–97% retention
Exclusive Updates	0	~40 per year
Donor Sentiment	Passive	Engaged & connected

Highlights

Grew from 23 to nearly 60 monthly donors in under a year
Monthly recurring donations nearly doubled
Monthly recurring revenue is approaching the $1,000 goal
Retention remained strong, with over 95% of monthly donors continuing
their support throughout the year.
35–40 exclusive updates shared annually, written directly by leadership
Donors feel more connected to the mission, even if they're not in NYC

FABSCRAP now receives consistent monthly support from a community that’s more engaged, better informed, and more likely to stick around. With a suggested monthly contribution of just $10, FABSCRAP is already seeing an average gift of $16 per member—a 60% increase over their ask.

“The average donation is $16—higher than we expected—and the updates have helped us maintain a strong sense of trust and connection.”

— Jessica Schreiber, Co-Founder of FABSCRAP

Many of FABSCRAP’s supporters re-engaged after lapses in giving, thanks to intentional email outreach and clear, compelling messaging—like reminding donors that “this is the most sustainable way to support our work.” In March 2024 alone, FABSCRAP estimates that 22 donors had no prior giving history before May 2023, one donor returned after more than a year away, and one long-time supporter migrated over to Grapevine.

“The great news is that Grapevine is helping us build new, consistent monthly donors.”

— Camille Tagle, Co-Founder of FABSCRAP

Key Takeaways

Build a donor community, not just a donation link. FABSCRAP treated their monthly donors like insiders, offering transparency and access they couldn’t get anywhere else.
Consistency wins. Weekly posts—authentic, casual, and leadership-led—became the foundation for trust and retention.
Clarity matters. While FABSCRAP uses the term “Giving Circle,” FABSCRAP is intentional about how it’s explained to donors, calling it a monthly donor group and being clear it’s not a traditional pooled-funding model.
Use features with purpose. Polls, photos, and donor surveys offered a lightweight but effective way to boost engagement and learn what donors value most.

What’s Next

With their goal of nearly 60 monthly donors met, FABSCRAP’s next milestone is to consistently raise $1,000/month. Lauren Gaston, FABSCRAP’s Assistant Director, is excited to continue nurturing the FAB Friends community with the same thoughtful approach that the Founders have started.

To bring donors closer, the team is considering low-lift initiatives like local NYC meetups and virtual gatherings. Grapevine can help streamline this process, as Giving Circle leaders can create events directly on their Giving Circle page and easily invite members to attend with just a few clicks.

“We’re excited about Grapevine’s potential to deepen connections within our donor community and elevate our monthly giving goals. It offers a user-friendly, focused way to show how individual contributions can drive meaningful impact when powered by a community of donors united by a shared vision. As part of our developing initiatives, we're introducing new opportunities for community building and deeper involvement through donor-specific events, exclusive discounts, and highlighting the tangible impact of each donation,” said Lauren Gaston, Assistant Director of FABSCRAP.